Arthur and the Invisibles (2006)

Ten-year-old Arthur, in a bid to save his grandfather's house from being demolished, goes looking for some much-fabled hidden treasure in the land of the Minimoys, tiny people living in harmony with nature.

Director:

Luc Besson

Writers:

Céline Garcia, Luc Besson

Stars:

Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, Madonna

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Freddie Highmore	...	Arthur
Mia Farrow	...	Granny
Ron Crawford	...	Archibald (voice)
Penny Balfour	...	Arthur's Mother
Doug Rand	...	Arthur's Father
Adam LeFevre	...	Davido
Jean Bejote Njamba	...	Massai Chief
Saul Jephcott	...	Police Officer #1
Lee Delong	...	Saleslady (as Lee de Long)
Christian Erickson	...	Antique Dealer
Eric Balliet	...	Mover #1
Oxmo Puccino	...	Mover #2
Robert William Bradford	...	Baliff
Jerry Di Giacomo	...	Repairman (voice)
Bienvenue Kindoki	...	Matassalai #1

Storyline

Arthur is a spirited ten-year old whose parents are away looking for work, whose eccentric grandfather has been missing for several years, and who lives with his grandmother in a country house that, in two days, will be repossessed, torn down, and turned into a block of flats unless Arthur's grandfather returns to sign some papers and pay off the family debt. Arthur discovers that the key to success lies in his own descent into the land of the Minimoys, creatures no larger than a tooth, whom his grandfather helped relocate to their garden. Somewhere among them is hidden a pile of rubies, too. Can Arthur be of stout heart and save the day? Romance beckons as well, and a villain lurks.

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Plot Keywords:

treasure | princess | debt | garden | boy | 

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Taglines:

Real Heroes. Size Zero.

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for fantasy action and brief suggestive material

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

France

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 January 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Arthur and the Invisibles

Filming Locations:

France

Box Office

Budget:

$86,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,702,789, 14 January 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$15,132,763

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$113,325,743

Company Credits

Production Co:

EuropaCorp, Avalanche Productions, Metro Voices

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When being threatened by the Saides for shining the spotlight on the ruby throne instead of Malthazar, Mino, Miro's son, warns, "You won't like it when I get angry". This is a take on The Incredible Hulk (1978), before Dr. Bruce Banner (Bill Bixby) transforms into the Hulk, he warns his instigators by saying, "You won't like me when I'm angry."

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Goofs

(at around 33 mins) Selenia is surprised Arthur knows her name when they first meet, but her father just named her to the whole audience. This is because when Arthur is being told the story of the Minimoy's by his grandmother, Daisy tells Arthur her name when he asks about it.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: [a photo album unlatches and opens to a picture of a bearded man] This is Archibald Suchot, a treasure hunter, explorer, and engineer. He spent 10 years in Africa building every type of useful thing. Oh, by the way, it's in the heart of Africa that our story begins.
Narrator: [cut to a country road] Well, this really isn't Africa, it's Connecticut, and this is the house Archibald lived in before he mysteriously disappeared. But that's a story that Archibald's grandson would be more qualified ...

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Crazy Credits

At the beginning of the end credits, the main actors, actresses, and director come out on screen to take their final bows. If they did a voice in the film, they are presented as the character they voiced in the film. If their role was strictly live action, they are presented as a Minimoy version of their character.

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Alternate Versions

Weinstein's 94 minute USA/UK version is renamed "Arthur and the Invisibles" and is heavily cut and rearranged from the original 103 minute French/English language version named "Arthur et les Minimoys":

• The romance, kiss and marriage between Arthur and Selenia is cut.
• All sexual innuendo is cut.
• Davido's attempt to steal the rubies is cut.
• Some live shots are cut, some other added.
• Has more verbose speech.
• Narrator voice added (in addition to Archibald).

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Connections

References Pulp Fiction (1994)

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Soundtracks

Stayin' Alive
(LP Version)
Written by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb
Performed by The Bee Gees
© 1977 Crompton Songs LLC - Gibb Brothers Music c/o BMG Music Publishing France
Courtesy of BMG Music Vision, Warner Chappell Music France and Warner Music France (A Warner Music Group Company)

User Reviews

Surprisingly nice

I went to see this movie because of my wife. She read the books some time ago and really wanted to see the movie. I am not too fond of animations.

I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the story a lot. It was really nice to see something new for a change. There are not too many clichés in it, and the little acting that is in the movie is quite good.

I was a bit disappointed by the animations. I think they could have been a bit better. But then again, as I said I am not the biggest animation fan.

Parting comments: It's a movie for the family. There should be something in it for every age.